I can still remember all the Emmitt Smith “the greatest RB” talk way back when.

Then Detroit traveled to Dallas for a Monday night game. And Barry put on a performance.

I remember seeing Emmitt on the sidelight, slack-jawed in awe, watching Barry run.

Some players transcend the team they play for. They become faces of the NFL, not just their team. They become someone even other teams’ fans respect and admire. Barry was just such a player. (Walter was too)

Both got it wrong. No Karras or Lane (not enough years as a Lion). It’s Schmidt as the fourth. HOF Player and best Coach of the Super Bowl era for Detroit.

But, these list are always going to skew younger, because fewer PLUS 60’s versus those younger are on the internet. So how do we explain Layne? Easy, there’s a Curse named after him. And Karras? Well most have seen Webster either in first run of syndication.

Lions fans should have repped Joe Schmidt. He was every bit as great as Sam Huff and Ray Nitchske, even though he was undersized,but he’s never gotten the credit mostly because Detroit fans didn’t rep him.

And it happened again. Packer fans and Bears fans don’t forget about their guys.

Joe Schmidt- 3 Championships, 8 time All pro, HOF then coached the Lions to a winning record over 7 years…absolutely belongs there instead of Karras. Terrible choice by fans (Lane played more games and had his better years as a Cardinal) and PFT, as Schmidt was on that same defense that wa so nasty….

Packer fan and a season ticket holder for many years.
I’ve seen my share of Lion/Packer matchups and there has been many times, we as fans, have been left slack-jawed and in awe, watching Barry run.
One Helluva player.